God Says I Am

I've got some great photos to share with you this week. Mark and Kate took some pictures at the Daddy Daughter Dance and they are stinkin' adorable! Are they not peas in a pod?! Carol Cardwell does fabulous work!

 

A couple weekends ago, for our day of Sabbath, we sat down as a family and wrote down who God says we are. I'd gotten this idea from a friend and it was really cool. We prayed and then wrote down what we heard. I loved seeing what God spoke to each of us. I also realized just how much my voice and encouragement to my children is the voice they often hear when God speaks to them. Meaning things I've spoken over them that are true about what God says they are, they hear and listened to. Make sense? So good and yet so difficult. I really need to make sure my words are encouraging and truthful.

This was mine.

 Kale's - as if you couldn't tell by the Lego sign :)

 Kate's

 Jack's

 Mark's

I love that we can have these to look at and refer back to when all we hear is the yuck around us! This is what God says and that's what matters more than anything.

Since my last post my sister, Kelly, had her baby - a boy named Calvin (we now have 4 nephews and 3 nieces on my side of the family and 2 nephews and 1 niece on Mark's). I had so hoped to get up to Denver to meet him but life is still messy here. Gymnastics and Jiujitsu twice a week plus life group and a possibility of jury duty (although that fell through), AND a pastor's conference in California, planning for a writer's conference, camp and finishing up school. Thank goodness we are practicing rest. We don't have it down quite yet but we're working on it! We also have family coming to visit 2 weekends in June - woohoo!

I've got lots more to share on the transformation - and struggles - that Mark and I are going through but I'll save that for another post. For now you just get the 411 on the last couple weeks.

Oh and one more thing. You'll have to click on my Instagram account (on the right side of the page) to see the latest fun we've been having with an app on my phone. Oh. My. Goodness we've laughed so hard!

Half way through April!

The past few weeks have flown by. Which is good and bad! 

Our 12 months of Christmas in March continued with all the kids enjoying lunch out with us.  Mark forgot pictures from his date with Kale (who picked Dairy Queen because he wanted ice cream) but totally went overboard with Jack to make up for it. ;)  Jack also picked Dairy Queen for the same reason. 

Kate and I enjoyed our first date of the year at Denny's.  Once she heard she could have a shake she was sold. Haha! 

We are plugging along with our move. I found a four week packing plan and have been doing well sticking to it. Each week packing a little more so that the final week won't be as overwhelming.  Everything keeps going well, only a few hiccups.  Our closing date is May 5th and I think we're all ready!  Living in a half packed up house is interesting. 

Especially with a leg and a half. Just over a week ago I either stood up or sat down and something just didn't feel right.  For the rest of the day it would lock up and buckle.  I almost fell a couple times.  This led me to borrow some crutches and make an appt with an orthopedic dr ASAP.  Thankfully we've kept my knee brace from 1998 when I first torn my ACL. It's helped support it a lot! 

I met with the dr and they took X-rays.  The X-rays showed bone fragments moving around in my knee.  One is under my patella and probably giving me the most problems.  It is something they can scope and remove.  They still had me get an MRI (did it today) to see if there's more tissue damage that we need to address.  My hope is that whatever is wrong can be fixed with a simple orthoscopic surgery.  We shall see! 

I am feeling better though.  Not as dependent on the crutch. It still locks but not as frequently.  I can make it around pretty easily which is a relief.  I can still pack! 

Last night was the much anticipated 5th annual Daddy Daughter Dance.  I think Kate's been talking about it since last year's got over!  This is her date for the month of April. 

The boys and I stopped by the church yesterday to pick up a couple other boys whose parents were helping and attending the dance. I snapped a few pictures, in awe of what this team of people do each year! 

The theme was Moonlight in the City.  They wanted to do kind of a formal, elegant environment where the girls were escorted to the tables, chairs pulled out for them, food served, and waltzing!  They had almost 275 people attend this year which is by far the largest attendance in 5 years! 

Isn't this incredible?! This is the stage. All made out of cardboard boxes!! And lots of glitter :)

They had a 6 ft chandelier instead of a disco ball over the dance floor.  Gorgeous! 

Kate was so amped up to go that she barely stopped for pictures.  I made her! 

I love her cute little sense of style. 

I hung out with my boys and 2 other boys. There was lots of Lego playing, shooting and running around.  Finally got them settled to watch a movie.  

Here they are at dinner.  The stillest they were all night. 

Jack and Tatum 

Kale and Toby 

It was great to have the boys have friends over.  They all played and I relaxed! Great night. 

Tomorrow is Mark's 40th birthday.  I promise to post pictures of the celebrations.  It's gonna be a fun day! 

3rd Annual Daddy Daughter Dance

This week was work, book club, school, dinner with friends, Super Bowl, decorating for the dance and then the dance. Today I have a baby shower to go to and tomorrow another meeting before we start another crazy week! That's why I'm at once a week blogging!

But I had to carve out some time to put up these pictures. Kate has been counting down the days to the DDD. She has to been each year since our church starting doing it and now it's like Christmas and birthdays. Anticipation is just as good as the actual event.

1st year2nd yearthis yearThey matched in yellowand cowboy/girl bootsThey went and got dinner at Sonic and then went to an overlook of Durango to eat. They have food at the dance but Mark says that Kate is so busy dancing she doesn't like to stop and eat. So if he's gonna get food they have to eat before. She was pretty impressed with their view.

I have to take a second and brag on our church. The vision these people have is so beyond what you would expect from a small town church. They think go big or go home. For real! If they put me in charge of decorations (not my gifting at all) there would be streamers and balloons. I didn't even have centerpieces at my wedding!

But the teams who worked on this dance went all out. The theme was Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice and they decked out the church in a Candyland theme. It. Was. Amazing!

Here is the entrance to the sanctuaryThe life-sized ice cream castle with gumdrops! This took up our entire stage.Peppermint Forest - the picture doesn't do it justice. The food table with giant piece of candy hanging from the wallSome of the decorations that were on the tablesI didn't have any pictures of the Lollipop forest but I believe they had professional pictures taken there so I'll post those when we get them back. They also had Lady Licorice's castle. And paths around the sanctuary that were all different colors just like the game board. They had huge pieces of candy hanging from the ceiling and balloon clouds. Like I said, AMAZING!

The incredibly talented cast! (I believe they are missing one - Princess Lolli)
King Kandy, Lady Licorice, Gramma Nut, Queen Frostine and Mr Mint
They signed autographs, led dances and helped make it an amazing night for all the little girls.
Kate with her friend Madison and Madi's mom - Lady Licorice

Kate with Mr Mint

These are the Kandy Kids.
They were helpers dressed as the game pieces. So cute!

King Kandy and Mr Mint
Two awesome men who don't have daughters but love being a part of making this a special night for other dads. They are very special, wonderful people.

Kate went to bed late with a huge smile on her face. She was grinning and excited all day yesterday and today is no different. I am seriously so blessed that our church does this. What a special way to get dads involved with their daughters and treat them like princesses! Mark said that Kate was smiling and hugging him all night long and she kept saying over and over "daddy I love you!" Melts my heart!